The Capriccino: a goat milk cappuccino for lactose-intolerant coffee lovers

The traditional coffee-and-milk-foam recipe will now get a new variant fit for lactose-intolerant coffee lovers: the capriccino.

Coffee being one of the most traditional and popular drinks in Italy, the country already boasts a wide array of different coffee drinks. Now there will be another, surprising option, consisting of coffee and steamed goat’s milk, hence the name capriccino (capra is the Italian word for goat). The new coffee drink is aimed at the needs of an ever-increasing lactose-intolerant population.

Lactose intolerance is an impaired ability to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products, causing abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and other digestive disorders. According to a study published by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition the prevalence of lactose intolerance varies from country to country. It is lowest in Scandinavia and Northwest Europe (3-8%), reaching up to 70% in southern Italy, Greece and Turkey. However, only very few cafes and restaurants in Italy cater for customers with these specific needs. A few cafes in the southern Calabria region started offering the goat milk coffee drink drink this Winter.

The possibilities for new combinations are endless. There is also a chocolate version, the cioccaprino, an Italian hot chocolate made with caprine milk. Goat’s milk being a little more expense than cow’s milk, expect the drinks to cost slightly more (around 2 euros instead of 1.20 to 1.50 euros).

Hopefully, this initiative will help develop other alternatives for coffee drinks fit for lactose-intolerant people across the peninsula… and abroad.

Photo: 1001nights/Istockphoto.